Nuclear Division To Be Set Up Fpl`s Turkey Point To Get Own Managers

Florida Power & Light Co. said on Tuesday that it will create a separate nuclear division, hiring a specialist to oversee the planned 11-month outage at Turkey Point, and appoint six new top managers.

The separate nuclear operation, to be established by June, will allow FPL ``to concentrate its resources more effectively,`` said Jerry Goldberg, executive vice president of FPL`s nuclear operations.

Separating nuclear power from other generating methods reflects an industry trend that ``will strengthen the current organization,`` said Stewart Ebneter, regional administrator for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission in Atlanta. The commission met on Tuesday to review FPL`s progress at Turkey Point.

Ebneter said the commission is scheduled to decide on Jan. 22 whether Turkey Point should be kept on the watch list for troubled nuclear power plants that need special supervision.

Goldberg said he would hire a specialist from outside the company to oversee the shutdown of Turkey Point Units 3 and 4, which is planned in November. There also will be newly appointed managers in charge of nuclear operations, engineering, licensing, materials buying and administrative services.

Ebneter said the outage and installation of two emergency diesel generators at Turkey Point is a complex process in which there is ``a lot of opportunity for error.``

``It is a significant modification,`` Ebneter said. ``It will be a challenge to maintain and live with the changes.``

Ebneter said Goldberg, who was hired recently, and FPL managers reassigned to Turkey Point are beginning to make a difference in the operation.

``They`re still paying for some past sins,`` he said. ``Maintenance has not always been the best. But now they go out and take time to fix the problem.``

Gordon Edison, NRC project manager for Turkey Point, said equipment failure is one of the continued concerns at the nuclear power plant.

Turkey Point`s nuclear units, for example, were of little use during the Christmas weekend blackouts. The plant was shut down because of corrosion of a metal box protecting electrical equipment in Unit 4.

Thomas Saporito, a former Turkey Point employee who now runs a nuclear watchdog organization in Jupiter, said the commission was ignoring its own evidence that Turkey Point was poorly maintained, costly to operate and a danger to the public.

The commission staff said it had no plans to immediately shut down Turkey Point as Saporito`s organization has requested.

Goldberg and about 30 other top FPL managers left the meeting shortly after Saporito began speaking at the public hearing. Last year, FPL won its appeal of Saporito`s suit against the company charging harassment and discrimination.

``I had other things to do,`` Goldberg said when asked if the walkout was planned.